Variable size container



G. W. BOYER VARIABLE SIZE CONTAINER July 28, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 21, 1968 INVENTOR BOYER ATTORNEY s. w. BOYER 3521,31

VARIABLE SIZE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m w 7 5 Q m m 5 w M M; HHH I B6 IIQ lllllllll IIflFIII IIIIIM W; z w 5 w 4 I WW I! I w z 4 I fihw h UI 6 Q A w m 2 7 M1 0 3 A l] M w 7 Q w W0 5% mi$ M0 I I I l I I II f I II I. I I I I I I l I I I July 28, 1970 Filed June 21, 1968 United StatesPatent US. Cl. 22923 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DiStlLGSURE A container isprovided for containing elongated articles of various lengths. Twoelongated rectangular sections each having an open end and a closed endare telescoped together. The inner of the two sections includes a pairof slits intersecting the fold lines of diagonally opposed corners ofthe section, the ends of which are connected by fold lines parallel tothe intersected fold lines and spaced on opposite sides thereof. Theportions of the containers between the slits are forced inwardly toprovide elongated rectangular notches. The corresponding corners of theouter container are provided with closely spaced slits intersecting thefold lines at these corners, the ends of the slits being connected byparallel fold lines. The areas between any of these slits may be forcedinwardly into the elongated notches of the inner section to lock thesections from relative movement.

This invention relates to an improvement in a variable size containerand deals particularly with a container useful in the packaging of itemswhich are generally of the same cross-sectional size, but which may varyconsiderably in length.

Various types of items, such as skis for example, vary quite materiallyin length, although they are of a generally similar cross-section. Aswill be understood, it is quite costly to maintain an inventory ofcontainer of various lengths for the packing of skis of various lengths.As a result, it is common practice to purchase containers of suitablelength to contain the longest skis, and then to provide some sort ofinterior packing to prevent the skis from moving lengthwise of thepackage during shipment. Such packages take up considerably more roomthan is necessary and also provide more labor than is necessary becauseof the interior packing in the containers containing all but the longestskis shipped.

The use of telescoping containers has been proposed. The main objectionto such containers lies in the fact that the two parts of the containermust be taped or similarly secured together; and if the taped jointshould fail, the container may slide apart. Accordingly, it is an objectof the present invention to provide a telescoping container includingsimple interlocking means which hold the two parts of the container inan adjusted relation and which will not permit relative sliding betweenthe parts of the container once the container has been locked.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of acontainer of the type described including an interengaging locking meanswhich may be produced at no additional cost to the manufacturer once thedie for producing the containers has been formed. Thus, the shipper mayhave a better container at no increase in price.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of atelescoping container in which the inner of the two telescoping membersis provided with two parallel slits intersecting a corner of thecontainer at the juncture of two hingedly connected walls, and includinga pair of fold lines on opposite sides of the fold lines connecting thetwo panels and parallel thereto. The area between the slits may beforced inwardly to provide a right angular 3,521,810 Patented July 28,1970 notch along the corner. Preferably similar notches are provided intwo diagonally opposite corners of the inner container member. Thesenotches are preferably provided near the open end of the inner containermember.

In order to provide a lock, the outer container member is providedthroughout the major portion of its length with parallel slitsintersecting the fold lines connecting two adjacent panels of the outercontainer member, such slits being generally of the same length as theslits in the inner container member. The slits in the outer containermember are relatively closely spaced. As a result, the area of thecorner between any two pairs of adjacent slits may be forced inwardly toform a rectangular notch in the outer container. By forcing suitableareas of the outer container into the notches of the container, the twocontainer parts may be securely locked from relative longitudinalmovement.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of acontainer of the type described in which the rectangular notches in theinner container are substantially a multiple of the length of thenotches or distance between the slits and the outer container. As aresult, areas in the outer container may be pressed inwardly adjoiningeach end of the notch in the inner container to hold the two containerparts from sliding movement in either direction.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of acontainer of the type described in which the shipper may readilydetermine by feel which of the areas in the outer container from beingpushed inwardly except in the notched areas of the inner container. Asthe length of the notches in the inner container is known, once the areaat one end of the inner notch has been pressed inwardly, the areaopposite the other end of the notch in the inner container may bedetermined by count.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specifications.

In the drawings forming part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the completed and closed container.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the open end of the inner containermember in its original form.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the areas of the innercontainer forced inwardly to form rectangular notches in diagonallyopposite corners of the container.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container, the position of the sectionbeing indicated by the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the innercontainer is formed.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the outercontainer member is formed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lock which forms a closure for thecontainer, the figure showing the inner container member in invertedposition.

The inner portion A of the container is illustrated in FIG. 5 of thedrawings in its blank form. As illustrated, the container includes aside wall 10, a rear wall 11, a second side wall 12, and a front wall 13which are hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 14, 15 and 16.Closure flaps 17 and 19 are hingedly connected to the side walls 10 and12 at one end thereof along aligned fold lines 20. Closure flaps 21 and22 are foldably connected to the corresponding ends of the rear andfront walls 11 and 13 along aligned fold lines 23. The fold lines 23 areshown slightly offset from the fold lines 20 to allow for the thicknessof the corrugated board or similar material from which the container isformed.

A pair of slits 24 and 25 intersect the fold line 14 and near the openend 26 of the lower container portion, and similar slits 27 and 29intersect the fold line 16, the slits 27 and 29 being aligned with theslits 24 and 25 respectively. The slits 24 and 27 are spaced from theblank end 26 as is indicated. Fold lines 30 and 31 connect the ends ofthe slits 24 and 25 and are equally spaced on opposite sides of the foldlines 14 and are parallel thereto, the fold line 30 being in the sidewall 10 and the fold line 31 in the rear panel 11. In a similar manner,fold lines 32 and 33 connect the ends of the slits 27 and 29 and areequally spaced on opposite sides of the fold line 16 and are parallelthereto. The fold line 32 is in the side wall 12 and the fold line 33 inthe front wall 13. As will be understood, the terms front wall and rearwall are merely for the purpose of orientation.

A generally U-shaped cut line 34- intersects the fold line 23 connectingthe closure flap 21 to the rear wall 11, the sides of the U-shaped outline intersecting the fold line 23 at right angles, and these sidesextending substantially equal distances on either side of the fold line23. A fold line 35 in the rear wall 11 hingedly connects the locking tab37 defined by the cut line 34 to the front wall 11. The juncture betweenthe closure flap 21 and the rear panel 11 is slotted as indicated at 39on opposite sides of the cut line 34.

A tuck flap 40 is provided hingedly connected to the end of the closureflap 21 along a fold line 41 which is parallel to the fold line 23connecting the closure fiap 21 to the rear panel 11. The closure flap 21is substantially equal in length to the width of the side walls 10 and12.

A tuck flap 42 is also hingedly connected to the closure fiap 22 along afold line 43 which is parallel to the line of fold 23 connecting theclosure flap 22 to the front wall 13. The tuck flap 42 is centrallylocated relative to the closure flap 22 and is substantially narrowerthan the flap 22. The width of the tuck flap 42 is substantially equalto the distance between the outer ends of slots 39 at the juncturebetween the closure flap 21 and the rear wall 11. A slot 44 is providedadjoining the fold line 43 in the tuck fiap 42, and a finger notch 45communicating with the center of the slot 44- extending into the closureflap 22. To complete the inner container member, the outer edges of thepanels 10 and 13 are. taped as indicated at 49 to form a rectangulartubular body.

The closure construction is best illustrated in the FIG. 7 of thedrawings. The closure flaps 17 and 19 are folded down into a commonplane as shown in this figure and it will be noticed that the corners ofthe closure flap nearest the rear wall 21 are notched as indicated at 46and 47 respectively. The closure flap 21 is folded down to overlie theclosure flaps 17 and 19, and the tuck flap 40 is tucked into thecontainer between the forward edges of the flaps 17 and 19 and the frontwall 13. The locking tab 37 is folded outwardly of the rear wall 11. The010- sure flap 22 is then folded over the closure flap 21, and the tuckflap 42 is folded down through the slots 39 to extend inwardly of therear Wall 11. The locking tab 37 is then inserted through the slot 44 tolock the closure together.

The blank B which forms the outer telescoping member is quite similar tothe inner section A but is slightly larger in diameter so as to beslideably supported on the lower section A. The blank B includes a sidewall 50, a front wall 51, a second side wall 52, a rear wall 53. Thesepanels are foldably connected along parallel fold lines 54, 55, and 56.Closure flaps 57 and 59 are foldably connected to the upper ends of theside wals 50 and 52 along aligned fold lines 60 and closure flaps 61 and6-2 are foldably connected to the upper ends of the front and rearpanels 51 and 53 along aligned fold lines 63 and 64 respectively.

A series of parallel slots 65 intersect the fod line 54 at right anglesthereto throughout the major portion of the length of the fold lines 54.Fold lines 66 and 67 extend along opposite ends of the slits 65, thefold lines 66 and 67 being spaced equally on opposite sides of the foldline 54 and extending parallel thereto. The fold line 66 is in the sidewall 50 while the fold line 67 is in the front panel 51. In a similarmanner a series of slits 69 intersect the fold line 56 and extend atright angles thereto. Fold lines 70 and 71 extend along opposite ends ofthe slits 69 in parallel spaced relation to the fold 56. The slits 69,similarly to the slits 65, extend equal distances on each side of thefold line 56.

The slits 65 and 6-9 are arranged in alignment, one slit 65 beingaligned with each slit 69. The distance between the slits 24 and 25, andthe slits 27 and 29 of the blank A are spaced apart a distance equal toa multiple of the distance between the slots 65 and 69. For example, ina typical example, the slits 24 and 25 and 27 and 29 are spaced apart adistance equal to twelve inches. The slits 65 and 69 are spaced apart adistance of one inch. Thus, when the two blanks are secured in tubularrelation and are telescoped together, there are twelve spaces betweenthe slots 65 and 69 overlying the areas between the slots 24, 25, and 27and 29 of the inner portion of the container.

The top closure structure is similar to that previously described inconjunction with the closure of the inner container member A. The flaps57 and 59 are designed to fold down into a common plane. The closureflap 61 is folded over the flaps 57 and 59, and a tuck flap 72 on theclosure flap 61 is designed to tuck between the edges of the closureflaps 57 and 59 and the rear panel 53. A narrow tuck flap 73 on closureflap 62 is designed to tuck into slot 74 at the juncture between theclosureflap 61 and the front wall 51 along a fold 76 spaced from the topfold line 63 is designed to tuck through a slot 77 at the juncturebetween the tuck flap 73 and the closure flap 62.

In operation, the side Wall 50 is marginally taped to the rear wall 53by tape indicated in FIG. 4 by the numeral 79. The end closures of thetwo container portions may then be closed if desired, holding the twosections in tubular relation. The areas of the inner container portionbetween the fold lines 30 and 31, and between the fold lines 32 and 33are folded inwardly to form elongated notches 80 and 81 as indicated inFIG. 3 of the drawings. As indicated, the notches 80 and 81 are indiagonally opposite corners of the container A. The elongated articlesbeing packed may then be inserted into the inner portion of thecontainer, and the outer container portion B may be telescoped onto theinner container portion A in the manner indicated in FIG. 1 of thedrawings.

The two container portions A and B are telescoped until the contentsfill the length of the container. Inward force is applied to the areabetween the slits 65 and 69 which corresponds to the lower ends of thenotches 8t) and 81. This can be simply accomplished because all of theareas between the slits 65 and 69 of the outer container section B aresupported by the corners of the inner section except those overlying thenotches 811 and 81, and accordingly cannot be flexed inwardly forminglocks 82 and 83. The areas between a pair of closelyv spaced slits 65and 69 just above the slits 25 and 29' of the inner section A are forcedinwardly thus locking the two parts from further telescoping movement.Another area is pressed inwardly just below the slits 24 and 27, formingright angular locks 84 and which lock the two parts of the containerfrom separation.

Obviously, the container may similarly be made by telescoping the twocontainer sections together to form a container of the desired length,and locks such as 82, 83 and 84-, 85 may be formed to prevent furtherrelative movement in either direction. The container may then be filledthrough an end of the containerbefore the container is locked closed.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the containermay be varied very materially in length from a point where the twoportions of the container telescope substantially through their entirelength to a point where the outer portion of the container extends butslightly beyond the rectangular notches 80 and 81. As will be seen, thetwo parts of the container may be securely locked virtually in anyposition to form a container of the desired length.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my variable size container; and while Ihave endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire tohave it understood that obvious changes may be made Within the followingclaims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A variable size container including:

a pair of elongated tubular container sections having open inner ends,one of said sections being slidable over the other to provide inner andouter sections,

said sections including opposed parallel front and rear panels, andopposed parallel side panels connecting the edges of the front and rearpanels to provide corners therebetween,

an elongated notch in the inner section near the open end thereof, thenotch extending along one of said corners and extending into the panelportions connected at said corner, on opposite sides thereof,

a series of slits intersecting the fold line defining the corner of saidouter section overlying said notched corner of said inner section,

said slits intersecting said fold line at substantially right angles andextending an equal distance on each side thereof, and said parallelslits extending along a length of the said corner of said outer sectionwhich is considerably longer than the length of said notch in said innersection,

fold lines extending along the ends of said slits parallel to said foldlines and spaced from said fold line a distance not exceeding the widthof the notch in the underlying panels, whereby the areas between any twoadjacent slits overlying said notch in said inner section may be pressedinto said notch to provide an angular lock extending into said notch.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said notch in said innersection is substantially longer than the distance between said slits insaid outer container.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said notch in said innersection underlies a plurality of said slits.

4. The structure of claim 3 and in which said notch is of a length equalto a multiple of the distance between adjacent slits.

5. The structure of claim 1 and in which diagonally opposed corners ofsaid inner section are provided with similar notches.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which diagonally opposed corners ofsaid outer section include similar slits.

7. The structure of claim 1 and in which said notches are formed by apair of spaced parallel slits at right angles to and extending equaldistances on opposite sides of the fold line forming said one corner,fold lines connecting the ends of said last named slits and extendingparallel to said last named fold line, and the areas of the panelsbetween said last named slits being folded inwardly along said lastnamed fold lines connecting the ends of said slits.

8. The structure of claim 7 and in which said slits intersecting saidone fold line of said inner section are spaced apart a distancesubstantially greater than the distance between said slits in said outersection.

9. The structure of claim 7 and in which said slits in said innersection are spaced apart a multiple of the distance between the slits ofsaid outer section.

10. The structure of claim 7 and in which said inner section is providedwith similar notches in diagonally opposed corners.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,154,195 4/1939 Benoit r229293,111,222 11/1963 Mueller 206-45.31 X 3,111,223 11/1963 Jacobi 229233,379,362 4/1968 Nerenberg et a1. 229-29 3,416,648 12/1968 Levi 229-10 XFOREIGN PATENTS 1,248,55 6 11/ 1960 France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner S. E. LIPMAN, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 2208; 2299

